December 2003 - cypherpunks-legacy

Re: Compaq / DEC buyout (fwd)
by Tim May 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 1:44 PM -0800 1/26/98, BMM wrote: >The "Screamer 533" is currently shipping with a 533MHz Alpha. It is >reviewed in this month's "Linux Journal". > > >On Mon, 26 Jan 1998, Jim Choate wrote: > >> Unless my info is seriously off DEC is already shipping 500MHz Alpha's and >> has 1GHz chips in test. DEC historicaly has been way ahead of Intel (say a This is simply untrue, that DEC historically has been way ahead of Intel. The Alpha is a different type of chip. Anyone who has analyzed the past few years, the past decade, and the past couple of decades would have a hard time making the case that DEC has been ahead of Intel in the overall combination of design and manufacturing. As you should know, Intel will be making the Alpha chip, as its manufacturing capabilities are _overall_ in advance of DEC's. (Beware of comparing R&D or prototype fab capabilities with high volume fab capabilities...Intel has its own R&D fabs, currently developing 0.13 micron capabilities...DEC will not be participating in this move to sub-0.20 micron areas.) Many things go into the "who's ahead" calculation, besides just clock speed. Had that been the only significant issue, some of the aerospace companies with their VHSIC chips in the early 80s would have won. Or the Silicon on Sapphire (SOS) and GaAs processor chips...very fast, but very low-yielding. I've written a couple of long posts on this, and won't here. Of course, if I am wrong, and Intel is behind the other chip or computer companies in this overall ability, there are some mightly good investment opportunities, either in selling Intel short or in buying the stock of AMD, Compaq, Sun, etc. We can each put our money where our mouth is. So far, I've done awfully well holding the Intel stock I acquired in the 1970s. "The past is no guarantee of future behavior," as the disclaimor goes, but I have seen no reason to sell the bulk of my holdings. --Tim May The Feds have shown their hand: they want a ban on domestic cryptography ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, ComSec 3DES: 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^2,976,221 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Re: Compaq / DEC buyout (fwd)
by Jim Choate 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Forwarded message: > Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 14:51:45 -0800 > From: Tim May <tcmay(a)got.net> > Subject: Re: Compaq / DEC buyout (fwd) > This is simply untrue, that DEC historically has been way ahead of Intel. I'm not going to get in a pissing contest with Tim, since he obviously has some connection to Intel... > The Alpha is a different type of chip. Anyone who has analyzed the past few > years, the past decade, and the past couple of decades would have a hard > time making the case that DEC has been ahead of Intel in the overall > combination of design and manufacturing. The bottem line is they are both Von Neumann architectures and can be reduced to a single bit Turing machine. As a result they *most* certainly can be compaired. I have owned Intel and DEC machines since the late 70's. I started out on a DEC PDP 8e in 1976 a friend game me when I was in high school and bought a S-100 Intel 8080 machine about a year later. Since that time I have owned 80186, 80286, 80836, 80486, and Pentium machines as well as PDP 11/03, PDP 11/23, PDP 11/34, & MicroVax II. Given a comparison by date the DEC machines have had a higher clock frequency and generaly been a generation or so ahead of Intel in the capabilities of the hardware. Further, the operating system architectures available on the hardware, until the last 6-8 years anyway, also went to DEC when it came to scalability and usability. The fact that NT was available on both the Intel and Alpha architectures pretty much at the same time makes any further comparison moot except for market share (which I alluded to the main forces in an earlier post). Unix was available on the DEC architectures LONG (what, 20 years?) before it every even thought about being put on a Intel cpu. > As you should know, Intel will be making the Alpha chip, as its > manufacturing capabilities are _overall_ in advance of DEC's. (Beware of Then why isn't the Intel cranking at 500MHz now like the Alpha? Why is every market comparison for the chips shows the DEC staying ahead of the Intel in base clock frequency (I won't even get into architecture efficiencies) for the next 5-8 years? > capabilities...Intel has its own R&D fabs, currently developing 0.13 micron > capabilities...DEC will not be participating in this move to sub-0.20 > micron areas.) I bet now that Compaq has given them the sorts of resources they had to go head to head with IBM from the late 60's to the early 80's that could change pretty quickly, even considering the multi-billion dollar start-up costs of modern fabs. ____________________________________________________________________ | | | The most powerful passion in life is not love or hate, | | but the desire to edit somebody elses words. | | | | Sign in Ed Barsis' office | | | | _____ The Armadillo Group | | ,::////;::-. Austin, Tx. USA | | /:'///// ``::>/|/ http://www.ssz.com/ | | .', |||| `/( e\ | | -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- Jim Choate | | ravage(a)ssz.com | | 512-451-7087 | |____________________________________________________________________|

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feedME account
by members＠feedme.org 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

----------------------------------------------------------- feedME - the world's easiest newsreader http://www.feedME.org ----------------------------------------------------------- Your Username is: cypherpunks Your Password is: kimkdqof If you have any problems, queries or suggestions please email: admin(a)feedme.org You should change your password as soon as possible (if you haven't already done so), the address for changing it is: http://www.feedme.org/changepass.html Remember that we don't allow anyone to SPAM through feedME, nor do we let people post any form of commerical or web-site advertisements - if you are unclear always mail admin. Regards, Michael Bennett Creator of feedME

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"Privacy on the Line"
by Eric Blossom 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I'm about half way through Diffie and Landau's new book, Privacy on the Line: The Politics of Wiretapping and Encryption and have found it quite interesting and entertaining. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Cryptography 3. Cryptography and Public Policy 4. National Security 5. Law Enforcement 6. Privacy: Protections and Threats 7. Wiretapping 8. Communications: The Current Scene 9: Cryptography: The Current Scene 10: Conclusion It's 342 pages including a great section of notes. Computer Literacy has it for $22.50. ISBN 0-262-04167-7 mail order: 408-435-0744 ObWoMD: "8. (p. 82) Distinguishing nuclear explosions from other events, such as large lightning bolts or explosions of meteors in the atmosphere, is not easy. The satellite reacts less to the total energy of the blast than to the form of the flash. Nuclear explosions have a characteristic two-humped flash caused by gamma ray induced formation of nitrogen pentoxide (N2O5). The time between humps is called the "bhang metre" and is characteristic of the type of weapon." Eric

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Processor Architecture Analysis - Reference
by Jim Choate 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Hi, If you're interested in the basic technology used in many of the current and proposed processor architectures I strongly recommend the following: Advanced Computer Architectures: A design space approach S. Sima, T. Fountain, P. Kacsuk ISBN 0-201-42291-3 ~$50.00 It was published in 1997 and covers various analysis of many of todays CPU's (unfortunately it doesn't do the Alpha) and discusses means to get realistic comparisons between them. It also covers some of the white paper architectures that have come out in the last 3-4 years on proposed architecture upgrades and alternatives. ____________________________________________________________________ | | | The most powerful passion in life is not love or hate, | | but the desire to edit somebody elses words. | | | | Sign in Ed Barsis' office | | | | _____ The Armadillo Group | | ,::////;::-. Austin, Tx. USA | | /:'///// ``::>/|/ http://www.ssz.com/ | | .', |||| `/( e\ | | -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- Jim Choate | | ravage(a)ssz.com | | 512-451-7087 | |____________________________________________________________________|

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Signing video...
by Jim Choate 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Hi, I was exchangin idea with a couple of members off-list and an idea came to me about how to time stamp the frames. It would require a minor modification to the WWV transmission but it wouldn't be much. Have the WWV transmitters sign each 'tick' of the clock and have a WWV receiver in the vcr. This would allow time stamping the frame with a signed reference that could be checked. ____________________________________________________________________ | | | The most powerful passion in life is not love or hate, | | but the desire to edit somebody elses words. | | | | Sign in Ed Barsis' office | | | | _____ The Armadillo Group | | ,::////;::-. Austin, Tx. USA | | /:'///// ``::>/|/ http://www.ssz.com/ | | .', |||| `/( e\ | | -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- Jim Choate | | ravage(a)ssz.com | | 512-451-7087 | |____________________________________________________________________|

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RE: Update on New Zealand crypto policy
by Brian B. Riley 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- On 1/26/98 3:30 PM, Ernest Hua (Hua(a)teralogic-inc.com) passed this wisdom: >Need help: Can anyone get to this URL? > >Ern > [snip] > > http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/policy/ > I got to it with no problems on first try from East Coast USA. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP for Personal Privacy 5.0 Charset: noconv iQEVAwUBNM0glz7r4fUXwraZAQFRGQf9F4R1EhPLwsSP84l5QcKk6KMhU341ox36 PincU6VSpYR8bq7CMSMh7G5f/H+3MkXNpnStGGI2H/jr/ggj+VeFtAZE/8WG5Mvw RbzbHxXKxq5one7kNc8qWMtWyd5vh6T+WUcyotUdvVBM5LAwP6sgv60vRsslbAYq 8jx4CMcWi8AM49vZknWAVQ+0QKWXthD5ltMFyLK8racRmIccFCsn//hDY0m7P+4I fbA3uKY5ESnJA5dUMCdree9tqB55R8iW/BdSKodemiO56FdClVOBdynVBFrchmGr zauO82EwceXiG3m2R44Zd7XPp0OfupzkB5+qZgWTeUR87SCnlzvrhw== =eeTo -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Brian B. Riley --> http://members.macconnect.com/~brianbr For PGP Keys <mailto:brianbr@together.net?subject=Get%20PGP%20Key> "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." -- Alvin Toffler

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RE: Announcement: RPK InvisiMail released on 12 Jan, 1998
by Jack Oswald 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Bill - The technology that we export as part of RPK InvisiMail, is world-class strong crypto. Key size options are 607 bits and 1279. The math behind the system is based on the same as that of D-H. There is no snake oil. There was no intentional or unintentional attempt to mislead any government authority. We also did not request an export license, because there is no need to do so in New Zealand as long as the export is by means of the Internet. Peter G. knows this as well. The story may be different for physical export on disk, disc or tape, although we cannot concur with Peter's personal experience. Our experience is that we get pretty good treatment from the NZ authorities. We also may use a different approach. I have often heard that you can often get a better response when using honey than vinegar. Therein may explain differences in our respective experiences. I have personally met with the Minister of Trade for New Zealand. His views and those of his staff seemed to be acceptable to us and have not imposed any undue restrictions of our business or our ability to operate. Jack Oswald President and CEO RPK Fast Public Key Encryption RPK New Zealand Ltd. 4750 Capitola Road Capitola, CA 95010 joswald(a)rpkusa.com www.rpk.co.nz www.InvisiMail.com +1 408.479.7874 phone +1 408.479.1409 fax +1 800.475.4509 pager -----Original Message----- From: Bill Stewart [SMTP:bill.stewart@pobox.com] Sent: Sunday, January 25, 1998 5:44 PM To: RPK New Zealand Ltd; cypherpunks(a)cyberpass.net Cc: scataldi(a)earthlink.net Subject: Re: Announcement: RPK InvisiMail released on 12 Jan, 1998 I was amused to receive two mail messages back-to-back, one from Peter Gutmann talking about New Zealand having one of the strictest formal export controls in the world, and one from RPK New Zealand talking about how their encryption product is not export-controlled because it's from NZ, not the US, and how their RPK Fast Public Key Encryptonite(tm) Engine is the strongest crypto in the world. Either they haven't bothered asking for export permission, or they asked in such a way that the export bureaucrats didn't notice it was crypto and regulated by their crypto export preventers, or their crypto somehow falls through the cracks, e.g. by using an algorithm with public keys shorter than 512 bits (works for ECC, not RSA) and private keys shorter than 40 bits (or 41 on a good day), or perhaps passes the "snake oil test" for export permission. I suppose it's possible that the NZ Export Bureaucrats have lightened up since Peter's last dealings with them, but it's not likely. >--------------- The mail, referencing www.invisimail.com >RPK New Zealand Ltd. in a joint venture with Virtually Online Ltd. >has released RPK InvisiMail, a standards-based e-mail security >application for use with Internet mail software (SMTP/POP3). >The product offers the strongest encryption available anywhere in >the world. Since it was built outside the United States, >it is also available all over the world with strong encryption. >RPK InvisiMail is also the easiest product of its type >to setup and use which makes it quite unique. ========= From Peter Gutmann's web page This policy has resulted in New Zealand enjoying the dubious distinction of having the strictest export controls on earth, with everything ranging from crypto hardware down to software, library books, computer magazines, and journals being restricted from export. It's not even possible for a university to publish academic research without prior permission from a government agency, and the requirements for obtaining this permission are structured to ensure that they can never be fulfilled. You can find the information on: http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/policy/ ============================== Thanks! Bill Bill Stewart, bill.stewart(a)pobox.com PGP Fingerprint D454 E202 CBC8 40BF 3C85 B884 0ABE 4639

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RE: Announcement: RPK InvisiMail released on 12 Jan, 1998
by John Young 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

On "using honey not vinegar" rationale of RPK InvisiMail for obtaining crypto export licenses: Applied Cryptography, Bruce Schneier, 2nd Edition, pp. 215-16 Algorithms for Export Algorithms for export out of the United States must be approved by the U.S. government (actually, by the NSA--see Section 25.1) It is widely believed that these export-approved algorithms can be broken by the NSA. Although no one has admitted this on the record, these are some of the things the NSA is rumored to privately suggest to companies wishing to export their cryptographic products: - Leak a key bit once in a while, embedded in the ciphertext. - "Dumb down" the effective key to something in the 30-bit range. For example, while the algorithm might accept a 100-bit key, most of those keys might be equivalent. - Use a fixed IV, or encrypt a fixed header at the beginning of each encrypted message. This facilitates a known-plaintext attack. - Generate a few random bytes, encrypt them with the key, and then put both the plaintext and the ciphertext of those random bytes at the beginning of the encrypted message. This also facilitates a known-plaintext attack. NSA gets a copy of the source code, but the algorithm's details remain secret from everyone else. Certainly no one advertises any of these deliberate weaknesses, but beware if you buy a U.S. encryption product that has been approved for export. ----- Bruce added the last "beware" phrase to the 2nd edition.

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U.S. crypto czar's travel records revealed
by Declan McCullagh 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

>From EPIC newsletter ======================================================================= [3] EPIC Obtains U.S. Crypto Czar's Travel Records ======================================================================= Following a year-long legal battle, EPIC has obtained over 500 pages of materials from the U.S. State Department on the international travels of David Aaron, the former U.S. Envoy for Cryptography. Aaron also served as U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development when the OECD was developing its encryption policy guidelines. The released documents show Ambassador Aaron made frequent trips around the world lobbying for international adoption of key escrow encryption. He visited Australia, Belgium (both the European Union & Belgian governments), Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The documents also indicate that he went to South Africa, and met with the counselor of the Latvian embassy in Paris and with Russian Finance Ministry officials. Even before Aaron was appointed as President Clinton's "Special Envoy for Cryptography," U.S. State Department messages indicate that the United States was making overtures to various countries via American embassies around the world. These include the diplomatic posts in Canberra, London, Tokyo, Ottawa, Tel Aviv, Paris, Bonn, The Hague and Moscow. One message to these foreign posts announced the revised U.S. cryptography export policy (the key recovery within two years or "no export" rule). The public announcement of that policy was made on October 1, 1996. Aaron apparently was not always greeted warmly in his travels. In Japan, the government requested that the meetings be kept secret and that the press not be informed. Even the U.S. Embassy in Japan was less than enthusiastic -- the embassy suggested that Aaron and his delegation could take the airport bus to their hotel rather than be picked up by an embassy driver.

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